For Fred
by edwards-angel22
Summary: A year after the Final Battle. George reflects.


It was May 2nd, 1999. A year since the final battle of Hogwarts school. The Weasley's were having a small get-together in recognition of the first anniversary…

* * *

"Georgie, it was a mistake…"

George Weasley shied away from his mother as she extended an apologetic hand in his direction.

"I'm sorry, dear, with all the excitement, it just slipped my mind."

Ginny was also standing and had made a meager attempt at approaching her brother, but Harry held firmly onto her hand and kept her close. Teddy was perched on his lap, looking curious at the sudden lack of commotion. Hermione and Ron were silent on the chair beside them, the former absently fingering the sapphire necklace that her boyfriend had gotten her for Christmas. Fleur stood beside her sister-in-law, as she cradled a golden-haired infant in her slender arms. Bill and Charlie were standing around with stout glasses of soda and firewhiskey, wordlessly staring at the floor. Close to them stood Katie Bell and Lee Jordan, watching their friend with wide-eyed stares of worry. George cast his older brother Percy a helpless glance before launching himself out the door, pushing past Angelina Johnson with blatant disregard.

_  
It's been a year now_

_since you were here now_

_and I've been trying to heal inside_

He stumbled down to the broom shed, kicking a reproachful garden gnome out of the way, and fell against the back of it where no one could see him. He knew his mother hadn't meant to call him Fred. It wasn't the first time either. She had called him by the wrong name frequently right after his twin had been killed. But the way that everyone in the room had looked at him this time had broken his heart.

"George?"

It was Bill. George pressed himself up against the broom shed wall, hoping he wouldn't be spotted.

"George, come on back inside. Please?" His voice was closer now. Desperately, George closed his eyes and let the compressing tug of Apparition take over his body. He was spinning through time, Bill's voice faded away into nothingness as he absconded the Burrow. When he landed, it was with extreme force that sent pain shooting up into his entire body. His head hit something hard, and he dizzily looked up to see "Frederick Gideon Weasley, April 1 1978 - May 2 1998" engraved neatly on a marble grave marker. He was in Godric's Hollow. He could see his reflection in the glassy white stone, the same facial features that his twin had encompassed stared back emotionlessly at him. He could see a trickle of blood going down the side of his face from where he had it his head on the tombstone.

"She did it again." he muttered to the grave. "Called me Fred. She hasn't done that since our birthday…"

_  
Dedications have all been placed_

_and I see your resemblance in my face_

_And on our birthday I'll set an extra wish for you_

_for you_

George sat down and dabbed at his new wound with his sleeve.

"She misses you." He said quietly. "Mum does. Her hair's gone almost all grey this year. And Dad visits you every day after work… But I suppose you know that." He sat cross-legged at this point so that he was more comfortable.

"A whole lot's happened this year. "He murmured. "Fleur just had a baby, Victoire. We're all teasing Bill because she's a blonde girl. Everyone's denying that she's a Weasley. And our Big-Head boy met a girl. Audrey." He chuckled sadly. "I never thought I'd see the day."

There was an uneasy silence, the kind where you know it's the other person's turn to say something. But in this case, that was impossible. George gathered some valor for what he had to tell Fred next.

"Ron's been helping me at the shop." He said, all in one breath. "I wasn't sure if you'd be thrilled to hear it or not, but I could NOT handle it alone. And I knew the last thing you'd want me to do was close it down, but things were really slow after you left. So finally he stepped up for once and helped me. Not that I wanted him to… I mean he's got a lot going for him right now. He's about a step away from proposing to Hermione. But he's right, I need the help. It's about time I got back on track anyway. I need to stop feeling so sad all the time."

_  
And I have learned so much since you've been gone_

_and I have done so little for so long_

_so now I'll settle up my grievances_

_and focus on the savory_

_and wave all these discrepancies away_

_and I'll beat around these misconceptions_

_give out faith at my discretion_

_live a life that you would think was sane_

_sane_

"I know it's not what we had in mind." George murmured. " Of course, I suppose we weren't planning that you weren't going to be here anymore. Everything just sort of fell to pieces when you left. Mum started drinking again. A good deal, too. And Dad just wasn't around as much as he needed to be, but no one told him that. He was either taking care of Mum or out on his own at the pub. He even got and FUI at one point."

He chewed his lip thoughtfully, starting to feel slightly lightheaded from the gash in his head.

"We've got a medal-sort of thing hanging in the living room. A plaque, I guess. Everyone who died in the Battle was honored with one." He whispered. "And it really hurts to come downstairs every morning and see it dangling in front of my face, especially when I wake up every day and there's your bed across from mine, and I get up and see your wand lying there on the dresser. Because first thing in the morning, it's like you're still here somewhere, and you just got up before I did. But then I come downstairs and I see your name, and it says that you died May 2 1998, and it _hurts. _It _hurts _me, Fred."

Scorching tears were burning his eyes with brutal heat. He took a shaky breath and slumped forward, resting his forehead against the cool marble tombstone.

_  
Display and changes that they have made_

_and I wonder if you ever really wanted it this way_

_And in your memory they even hung a plaque for you_

_for you_

"George?"

This time it was Percy. He wasn't particularly surprised, the graveyard was probably one of the first places they had decided to look for him. He felt a pair of hands on his shoulders, and someone pulled him back away from the tombstone. It was now streaked with crimson from his cut.

"George, what happened to your head…" Percy withdrew his wand from his robes and flourished the tip over the injury. In seconds the pain was gone, but George continued to feel faint. Fresh tears spilled onto his cheeks, the last thing he wanted was to go home and face his family this way.

"C'mon, George. Mum's all upset and she's got her knickers in a twist. At least come show her you're all right."George pulled himself up so that he was bouncing gently on the balls of his feet, and without really meaning to fell to the side so that he was huddled against Percy, hiding his face in his robes as he sobbed into them.

"He wasn't s-supposed to l-l-leave me…" he choked. The crunching of feet in the dry grass indicated yet another presence, and suddenly Angelina was also there, leaning down next to him and stroking his back in small circles.

"I know, George. I know." Percy soothed, holding his younger brother as he cried. "We'll go home and show Mum that you're all right. You can go straight up to bed after that, I won't let anyone come bother you."George nodded and allowed the pair of them to help him up, Angelina handed him a handkerchief from her pocket and he mopped his eyes with it as they both helped him remain steady on his feet.

"We'll get through this together." She whispered to him. "I'll be here every step of the way."

He managed a small smile as she wrapped an arm around his waist. Together. Was there ever a better way?

_  
And I have learned so much since you've been gone_

_and I have done so little for so long_

_so now I'll settle up these grievances_

_and focus on the savory_

_a__nd wave all these discrepancies _

_I'll beat around these misconceptions_

_give out faith at my discretion_

_live a life that you would think was sane_

_sane_

* * *

**A/N: I have no idea where this story came from :) I've been wanting to write a Fred and George fic with this song for a while. And I did this in like 30 minutes so it probably isn't my greatest masterpiece. But for 30 minutes, I guess it's ok. Nice reviews are very much appreciated! (Btw, the song is "For Justin" by Dashboard Confessional).**


End file.
